Much of the undisturbed grassland was concentrated in a single large cluster, which was connected to other habitat concentrations via corridors of "stepping stone" patches.
We show that a prominent role of individual stepping stone patches as irreplaceable providers of habitat connectivity and availability arises only under a relatively narrow set of conditions, characterised by low habitat amount, high habitat fragmentation and modest to intermediate species dispersal abilities.
We suggest that to support connectivity-related investments, it is necessary to focus on those few species or dispersal distance ranges that are likely to be both most dependent on and most benefited by the conservation or restoration of stepping stone patches.
To assess the relative benefit of different post-fire habitat restoration strategies, we forecasted wren abundance over the next 100 years under three restoration strategies: (i) create new "stepping stone" habitat patches to form corridors which connect existing patches, (ii) augment existing habitat patches, and (iii) create new habitat patches in areas with low fire risk.
Expect an elaborate old floor set in cabalistic patterns and lit only by candles, two stone staircases, patches of fresco, a vast hall with giant fireplace, a lovely pool – and dogs, geese, ducks and sheep: this is an active organic farm.
In this case, adaptation strategies must be designed to mitigate these potential changes as far as possible, principally through a combination of increases in the extent of PAs and the extension of species' protection measures to the wider landscape, including the 'stepping stone' habitat patches established therein.
Oreina speciosissima sensu stricto beetles inhabit high forbs patches that are generally larger in size, lie closer together and harbor more beetles per unit of surface area than stone run patches inhabited by Oreina speciosissima troglodytes [unpublished observations MB, TVN].
In such cases, the structure of the habitat matrix (e.g. obstacles and/or stepping stones between patches) becomes important.
In fragmented agricultural landscapes, preserved or planted corridors, buffers and stepping-stone habitat patches around and between forest remnants are more vital than efforts to preserve or create contemporary forest compositions, dominance relations, and species-abundance distributions.
Then I dutifully walked to the Puente Nuevo, the 18th-century stone bridge that patches together the two sides of town.
Past repairs have included incompatible stone and mortar patches.
